Web Resources Can Focus Efforts to Buy a House in GranbyTo Buy a House, Don’t Skip Today’s Internet ResourcesImaginative Online Resources Can Shortcut Home Searches in Granby and the Farmington Valley

If you are looking to buy a house in Granby or the Farmington Valley and haven’t yet taken advantage of the power of the Internet, wow! — are you missing out! A host of new technologies and online resources have simplified finding and analyzing properties. To help zero in on your ideal house in Granby this fall, here are a few of my favorite online resources:Google Maps can save hours of time. Just go to Google and click on the “Maps” option at the top. Key in the full address of the property you’d like to look at, and, voila! You’re instantly looking at it in a choice of satellite view or from street level. For a quick glance a property’s “curb appeal,” you can’t beat it!Long before you buy a house in Granby, you’ll want to know whether it’s a bargain or overpriced. The quickest way to get a rough estimate is at Zillow. See my Xillow profile here:http://www.zillow.com/profile/Stephen-Simard/ Zillow.com provides a rough estimate (okay – very rough!)of the current valuation for most properties. Although these “zestimates” are approximate, you can also see what other properties in town have sold for.PropertyShark.com is a great place to ferret out more detailed information about a property. On this site you can find out information such as the owner’s name and address, assessed taxes, and the recorded purchase price. Also find data about the surrounding local neighborhood including demographics, recent sales data, and even the heights of surrounding properties. The Trulia website can help shorten the research needed before you buy a house. See my Trulia profile here: http://m.trulia.com/profile/StephenSimard/Here you pose questions about a property to be answered by local experts. Ask about prices, closing times and real estate commissions. You can also find detailed information about local neighborhoods like commute times, crime stats, and local school ratings.Online resources like these can reduce a lot of legwork (and gasoline consumption). Of course, nothing can replace the expert advice of a local Realtor® and viewing a selection of Granby properties in person — but using these resources helps shorten the process. If you’re looking to buy a house in Granby this fall, I’m here to help!Stephen SimardYour local Realtor860-919-0991